Cameron pulls off a surprise win: What now for Europe and Scotland? | Brookings Institution

May 10, 2015 By dralfoldman in Austerity, David Cameron, Defense Policy, People, Politics, Scotland, UK Tags: 2014, Conservative Party (UK), David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Labour Party (UK), Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish independence, Scottish independence referendum, Scottish National Party, Scottish Parliament, United Kingdom 1 Comment

Debating chamber in Scottish Parliament building

Debating chamber in Scottish Parliament building (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a deeply disturbing outlook from leading US think-tank, Brookings Institution. It’s a must-read. Check it out!

via Cameron pulls off a surprise win: What now for Europe and Scotland? | Brookings Institution.

The article paints a picture of stronger and stronger pressure for Scottish independence, on the back of rising power for the SNP. Although David Cameron is expected to offer major concessions to Scotland, it is expected that there will be a major clash over the future of Trident. The article highlights:

If the SNP repeat last night’s performance in 2016 in the elections of the Scottish Parliament, another referendum on independence will be unavoidable – and this time it will be won.

Also the article draws three powerful lessons from the UK’s surprise election result:

Leaders matter
Don’t trust the polls
The political pendulum is not swinging to the left

Thoughts?

Why English voters should fear Labour as much as the Scottish people?

May 6, 2015 By dralfoldman in Austerity, Business Administration, David Cameron, Democracy, Ed Miliband, Education, Euro Crisis, People, Politics Tags: BBC Television, Conservative Party (UK), David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Labour Party (UK), Left-wing politics, Majority, Scottish independence, Scottish Labour Party, Scottish National Party 1 Comment

Labour’s logo from 2000 – 2007. Updated version of mid 1980s logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to all the polls, the Labour Party will face a wipe-out north of the border in Scotland. It’s interesting to speculative why Scottish people are so strongly anti-Labour? The most obvious answer is despite the results of the referendum, they expect the SNP to press for a more independent Scotland. Perhaps, they feel passionate about Trident? I suggest that the Scottish people have been let down time and time again by a Labour Government in Westminster. They know that Labour struggles to deliver campaign policies, with vast centralized funding lost in bureaucratized projects and bloated administrative inefficiencies. English voters need to reflect carefully that Ed Miliband is very left-wing, compared to the ‘Third Way‘ politics of Tony Blair. Ed Miliband is light on leadership, charisma and experience but he’s quite radical – a toxic brew. There is an alternative, a safe pair of hands. Thoughts?